London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Barnes 1913
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Barnes]
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23
Sanitary Circumstances.
Rainfall has a direct influence on infantile diarrhoea—the
wetter the season, the less the diarrhoea, so that in 1913 we should
expect to find a higher infantile mortality than in 1912, and this is
the case (84.2 as against 58.5 per 1,000 births).
Table showing death rates of various age groups, comparing 1912 with 1913.
Mortality at different ages.
| DEATHS, 1912. | DEATHS. 1913. | AGE GROUP. | Rate per 1,000 of Population | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1913. | 19l2. | |||
| 41 | 62 | Under 1 year | 1.9 | 1.2 |
| 12 | 28 | 1 to 5 years | .9 | .3 |
| 15 | 30 | 5 to 25 years | .9 | .5 |
| 134 | 129 | 25 to 65 years | 3.8 | 4.2 |
| 89 | 101 | 65 years and upwards | 3.0 | 2.8 |
| 291 | 350 | All ages | 10.5 | 9.0 |
WATER SUPPLY.
The water supply is that of the Metropolitan Water Board—
the supply is constant and sufficient and of good quality. The best
proof of the quality is the fact that Enteric Fever, which is largely
a water-borne disease, is practically non-existent in the district.
The raw Thames water has to be stored so as to allow of
sedimentation and filtration.
The Board controls the water supply not only in London, but
also over a large extra-metropolitan area, and neither the County
Council nor any other Local Authority of the Metropolis has any
direct power.
Besides the special Act or Acts, the supply is governed by
certain sections of the Public Health (London) Act, the Waterworks
Clauses Act 1874 and the Metropolis Water Acts 1852 and